Hi Guys,
This is my best attempt to summarize cladistics. It is a system of taxonomy
that has classifications that are built soley on phylogenies created with
genetic information. So in the creation of a phylogeny, when a speciation
event occurs, the ancestral species is shown to divide into two dichotomous
groups: in series they create a phylogenetic tree. Every division is called a
node and idealy creates monophyletic clades or groups. Monophyletic clades are
defined as, "a clade which all of its members are derived from the closest
common ancestor."
I hope this helps, it is 5:00 in the morning so it is tough to think or write
clearly.
Later,
Emilio Jose